Like a Virgin
by BelenP
Summary: Lois and Clark are partners at the Daily Planet until, one night, things change from platonic to romantic. How will Clark deal with the 'physical' side of their relationship?
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville. I don't get any profit from this. _

_**Summary:**__** Lois and Clark are partners and best friends until, one night, things change from platonic to romantic. How will Clark deal with the 'physical' side of their relationship?**_

_**Author's note:**__ I'm quite new to this fandom (I always wrote Jane Austen Fan Fiction) so please be kind. This story is already finished but I would love if someone volunteers to Beta this for me as I post. _

Like a virgin

**Chapter 1**

It's been ages since Clark Kent found himself in this predicament. In fact, since he broke up with Lana Lang soon after they finished high school that he had not been faced with a certain, very private situation.

For the last years he had been alone. He was not happy with this but he had long learned to accept the fact that, given his powers and double identity, it was almost impossible for him to establish a normal relationship with a woman. It took him some time but he was finally able to overcome the feelings he once had for Lana and after 3 years of partnership with Lois , he had successfully kept the crush he had developed for her under good regulation.

But life had never been fair with Clark and was constantly presenting him with new challenges. Once he was becoming used to a certain circumstance –his loneliness, in this case- something or someone would show up and try mess up with his life. It was like a curse, as if his human upbringing would be constantly trying to boycott the isolation that his kryptonian heritage had imposed on him.

Like his relationship with Lois, his partner at the Daily Planet. They had been through so many phases. They both had outgrown the teenaged rivalry that had given him so many headaches and so many joys while he was still in Smallville; then came the separation and now they were together again, forging this extraordinary partnership as the star reporters of Metropolis' biggest newspaper.

For Clark, Lois was unique, magical. She was the only one capable of cheering him up when he was in moody, tease him to exasperation, understand him (or purposely misunderstand him) and make him laugh like no one else could. She was funny, loyal, vivacious and though he had tried to deny it for some time, Clark had fallen madly in love with her.

Still, he knew he would never do anything about it. He couldn't. He shouldn't. He had too much to lose. They were partners, best friends, the Planet's best team. He could not afford to lose her friendship by starting a relationship that had no future. His feelings for her were not a secret, though. Everyone knew he was a lovesick fool in what his partner was concerned. Even Lois, he suspected. It was some kind of unspoken agreement in which they both continued with their unconditional friendship while overlooking Clark's one-sided love. She still came to cry over his shoulder when she was in trouble or heartbroken after a bad relationship and Clark was always there for her, even if he was convinced that she was taking advantage of her condition of best friend/partner/love-of-his-life. What the hell, he loved her and he would never shut her out.

Of course, Clark's decision to leave things platonic with Lois didn't work out the way he had expected. One night, while working on a big story about corruption that involved the health department of Metropolis, something happened. The investigation ended being an award winning article –their first as partners-, but it also brought other consequences that neither had expected. The long hours together and the stress they were faced to only intensified the already extraordinary bond they had. And one night, relaxing over pizza and beer, they took the step that would change their relationship forever.

"Cheers, Smallville," Lois knocked her beer can with his in a toast. "I think we've got it. If Perry doesn't pee in his pants when he reads this article, then he doesn't know what good journalism is."

Clark took a long gulp of his beer. "To our article."

Lois let her head fall back and spoke reflectively. "You know something, if someone would have said to me, ten years ago, that I would be in my apartment drinking beer with you after writing the best article of my life, I would have said that they were crazy."

He chuckled and rested his back on the couch, adopting a similar position. They were both sitting on the floor, with their legs stretched and crossed, leaning on the couch. "Why, didn't you have faith in my talent as a journalist?"

"You wouldn't want to know what I thought of you at the time." She smirked.

"What?"

"I kind of liked that dorky farm boy thing of yours." Lois said with a smile that showed her own surprise for the revelation. "I used to find it sexy."

"Sexy?" He chuckled. Lois had to be drunk to admit something like that to his face.

"Don't tell anyone, or I'll kill you but I used to think that you were quite the hottie when you wore that blue t-shirt that you never seemed to take off. But now you have switched your preferences to brown and grey. Pity, you look great in primary colors." She finished while patting his thigh.

"I think those are appropriate colors to wear at the newsroom." Lois was right, since he became Superman, his wardrobe could not be more boring. But he had no other choice, he could not risk anyone making the connection and he doubted that a pair of glasses would make the difference.

"Yeah."

"If it lessens a little the humiliation, I also used to found you sort of cute at the time. Annoying, but cute." He smiled at her.

Lois laughed heartily. "Cute? That's a first. I know I've been described in many different ways, but I don't recall 'cute' being one of them."

"Whatever. I thought you were cute."

Lois always thought that Clark's smile was beautiful, but tonight, it was intoxicating. Or maybe it was the beer. "I guess we were so busy hating each other that we didn't realize that we could actually make a good team."

"Yeah," he let out an exaggerated sigh. "My life was so much easier then."

She punched him on the arm, then a second time when he laughed at her. He relaxed next to her, smiling tenderly into her eyes. And Lois couldn't resist him. She could drown in those blue eyes.

Getting closer to him, she boldly admitted. "Do you know something? You still have it."

"Have what?"

Lois bit her lower lip. Could he be any more naïve? "Your dorky, innocent, farm boy charm. Boy, you still have it."

Though flattered, Clark wasn't sure if he should give much credit to this alcohol-enhanced sincerity. "C'mon, Lois, I know you are more attracted to the heroic, dressed-in-tights, fly-with-me type."

Lois shook her head. "Maybe, but I'm more into 'earthy' guys now. They are more reliable. I'm done with emotionally unavailable protectors of the world."

Clark studied her features carefully. "You no longer have feelings for Superman?"

"It's just a stupid, inoffensive crush, Clark, don't be jealous." She teased and saw him roll his eyes. "I'm not saying that I'm completely over him, I mean, the man really pushes my buttons when I see him, but in a platonic sort of way. He's unreachable, you know, and that's what makes him so attractive."

"So you only like him because you can't have him?" He frowned smilingly.

"Something like that, yes. It's safe. I can drool on him without having to expect anything in back. Anyway, I've been looking at the sky for so long that I wasn't able to see what was right in front of me all the time."

He swallowed as she inched closer. Her eyes were fixed on his, staring at him in a way they never had before. Clark knew they were reaching the point in which he should pull back and adjust his glasses while stammering something about how late it was and then make a quick exit, but he just couldn't get himself to do it. Instead, he leaned in until their lips touched.

So that's when Clark's problems started. All those situations he had successfully avoided during the past years were happening again. Back to the lies, the unexplained departures, the lame excuses. But there was something that bothered him even more. He was no longer a teenager and Lois wasn't Lana. By the way things escalated the night they first kissed, Clark knew that, if the relationship progressed, there was something that he would not be able to delay and that, right now, he didn't have any idea how to handle.

Even though he was not a virgin, Clark's sexual experience was limited to those few weeks of mortal bliss he had shared with Lana when he was only eighteen. He had never tried his abilities on an intimate area yet. Now, ten years later, he was still living a life of self-imposed celibacy. He was not afraid of what would happen during the act, he had gained such control of his strength to be sure that he would not harm her while making love, but he was completely clueless of what might happen during the culmination. If his climax was anything like his sneeze, the woman with whom he made love would end being empty carcass.

Once he thought he could be close to someone and live a complete and normal life –normal according to his standards- he was once again faced with all the reasons why he should not. Double identity aside, there was one issue that had been the catalyst of his brake up with Lana Lang and that would surely put his incipient relationship with Lois at stake: Sex.


	2. Chapter 2

_Note: Thank you all for your comments and than you Blueblackice for your help in editing this story._

**Chapter 2**

The first couple of days passed without much interaction between Lois and Clark, save for a borrowed item from his desk that Lois was in need of. She was out good part of the day, following a lead, and he was busy researching for his new assignment. When Lois was focused on a case, she practically didn't pay attention to anything else, so for a few days Clark was relieved that there weren't any more close encounters between them. But just when Clark was getting used to the idea that their kiss had been the consequence of too much beer (to his relief but also to his disappointment) good old Lois chased him on the way out of the newsroom and tempted him with a hamburger and a soda before heading home.

They ate together and for an hour, Clark thought that things were still the same between them. He walked her to her apartment and, as always, waited as she fished for her keys inside her purse.

"Wanna come up?" She asked as an impertinent smile grew upon her face.

"Huh, well … I …" He shifted his weight from one foot to another.

"Look Clark," Lois began. "I know you think I was too drunk to remember what happened the other night, but I wasn't. I remember kissing you and I am pretty sure you kissed me back." He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. "If you don't want to go on with this, I understand, really, I'm a big girl and I can handle it. Just don't pretend it didn't happen, okay?"

Clark swallowed and stared at her for a moment, not sure of what to say. "I … I thought you were the one pretending it didn't happen."

"And you were just playing along?" She retorted, hands on her hips.

"No, I wasn't sure what you wanted so I …"

"Oh, come on, Smallville. I'll never understand you. You can rush into a burning building without a second thought, but when it comes to women, you are the shiest, most hesitant man I have ever seen. I really can't see why. I wonder what Lana did to you."

"Lana?" He frowned.

Lois waved her hand, as if trying to erase what she just said. "Forget about her. Do you want to go on with this or not?"

"With what?"

Lois rolled her eyes with irritation. Could he be any more oblivious? "Us, Clark. Us."

He swallowed. Of course he wanted. "Of course I want."

"But?" Her eyebrows arched up.

"I …" he saw her make a gesture with her hand to encourage him to go on. "Let's take this slowly. I don't what to screw things up."

Lois knew him well enough to know what he did this under some instinct of self preservation, though she couldn't understand why. But this was Clark, confidence and determination –with the opposite sex- were not exactly part of his character.

"Okay." She said plainly.

"Really?" he looked dubious. Patience and consideration weren't exactly part of Lois' character.

Lois bit her lower lip, pondering if he should strangle or kiss him. "Yeah."

He exhaled, obviously relieved, then smiled broadly. Lois couldn't resist his goddamn sexy male innocence so she grabbed his tie to pull him down for a kiss. They parted a moment later and once again Lois asked him to come up.

"Seriously. Lois," he murmured close to her lips. "I want to make things right. Let's go slowly."

She patted his chest. "Okay, I can live with that. Let's have dinner together tomorrow night."

He grinned. "It's a date."

The elevator was there waiting for her and Lois stepped in. "See you tomorrow, Smallville."

The first date between Lois and Clark could not come out better. They manage to actually have dinner without any interruptions –there was a fire alarm that Clark overheard sometime during desert but that was immediately controlled by the firemen without his intervention- and the evening ended being very pleasing and romantic.

"Come up for a cup of coffee," as he kissed her good night.

"Okay," he smiled. "But just for a while, I have an early start tomorrow."

She grinned triumphantly at him and grabbed his hand to lead him into the elevator. This time Clark took the initiative and kissed Lois all the way up to her apartment. Once inside, while Lois fixed some coffee for both of them, they discussed their new assignments.

"Here you are," Lois brought the tray with two coffee and a few cookies. Clark was staring intently outside the window. "Clark?"

He startled. He had been following the sounds of the sirens of a police chase, but the situation appeared now to be under control. "Huh? Sorry."

She left the tray on the table. "That's what I hate about this apartment. I can hear every noise in the city."

"Yeah, it's quite noisy. Mine's not better." Which, in his case, wasn't a bad thing. It allowed him check on what was happening in the city without leaving the apartment.

"Come, sit down."

He joined her on the couch and they chatted a bit about work. Then the conversation turned towards the farm and the latest news. News that Clark wasn't very happy about.

"Clark, it's been nearly ten years. Your mom has the right to start over. I think it's cool that she's dating someone."

"I know," he sighed, "don't get me wrong, Ben Hubbard is a good man, it's just hard to see her with someone."

"He's never going to replace your dad and it's not that they are getting married or anything. From what your mom said, they are just dating. Try to see the good side. At least she didn't hook up with a Washington politician. Or Lionel Luthor. Just imagine if you ended being Lex's stepbrother." She finished with a smirk.

"Heaven forbid." Clark did not share her humor.

"Relax, Clark," Lois placed a comforting hand over his. "Everything will be all right, you'll see."

Clark leaned in to place a soft kiss on Lois' lips, which she corresponded, increasing the pressure against his mouth and parting her lips to deepen the kiss. But before things could progress further, Clark pulled back and told her it was time for him to leave.

"Ok;" she said, a little disappointed.

He gave her another kiss and he was gone.

Two more weeks passed since their first date. They saw each other every day and went out almost every night but, somehow, Clark had managed to cool things down before they went too far. These encounters did not end without taking a toll on him, though. It was obvious that Lois was beginning to think there was something wrong with him and those midnight dives in the North Pole seas helped very little to cool him off.

Until one night, after dining in her apartment, he tested his limits.

Lois traced her finger along his jaw line. "I never thought I would say this, but I think I love you, Smallville."

At that moment Clark thought he could float with happiness. Lois could appear tough and self sufficient to everyone, but he was one of the few privileged souls that had seen her real, vulnerable self. Even when she insisted on disguising her confession under a mask of sarcasm, Clark knew that she meant every word.

"I think I love you, too." He smiled and recaptured her lips for another hungry kiss.

Things quickly warmed up on the couch. Clark made one poor, not so effective attempt to pull back, but Lois wasn't willing to let him go so easily. Her hands were under his shirt, caressing his back while his body moved over hers. Clark knew that he needed to stop now or soon things would get out of control.

Then, the inevitable happened. Pressure when accumulated, has to be released. And when all that pressure is stored in a body that can contain enormous amounts of energy; and the release valve is blocked or unavailable, the tension accumulated would invariably search for an alternative escape route. It was a matter of simple physics. That was how the thin separation between arousal and fire that for years Clark had been able to keep apart switched on in the midst of passion. Clark felt his temperature rising, his eyes began to burn and he knew there was only one way to stop what was building. He jumped off her and ran to the bathroom pressing his hand firmly to his eyes to keep himself from burning Lois' apartment.

"Clark?" A worried Lois knocked the door five minutes later.

He opened the door.

"Oh, my God, are you okay?" She looked at him up and down. He was a mess. He was sweaty, his face was flushed and his hair and shirt were wet, as if he has splashed himself with water over and over again.

"Actually, I am not feeling that good," he said hoarsely.

Lois pressed her hand to his cheek. "You are burning. And your eyes, they're so … red. I think you are sick."

Clark quickly looked away. "I … I should go."

"But you were perfectly right a moment ago, how could this happen so quickly?"

"I don't know. Really Lois, I have to go."

He grabbed his jacket and ran out of the apartment, leaving a perplexed Lois to wonder what was going on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"You really surprised me when you said it was urgent. Something wrong?" Martha poured him a mug of coffee.

"Well, not really … but … I'm kind of having … problems with Lois."

"Oh, God, is she in trouble again?" Martha shook her head. Lois had this unhealthy tendency to get herself into risky situations and she always dragged her son along with her.

"It's not that, mom. We're … dating."

"Well, that's good news." Martha could not be happier for her son. "I always thought that Lois was the perfect woman for you. I'm glad that you two finally realized that you are made for each other. But why do I sense that you're not that completely happy about this?"

"Don't get me wrong, I am." Clark shifted uncomfortably on his chair. "It's just that … I'm back to the lies, mom. You know what happened with Lana. For years, my secret kept us apart and when I finally told her, it only lasted a few weeks before we realized that it would never work between us."

"Lois isn't Lana, Clark. She's been your friend for years. I think that you have become much closer to her than you have ever been to anyone else. You two are inseparable."

He smiled, "not to mention this thing she has for Superman …"

"For you."

His smile grew wider, then he frowned. "But she doesn't know it's me."

"She cares for you as Clark and God knows she had made public her crush for Superman. I think she'll be delighted when she learns you are both."

"Yeah, maybe, anyway, I don't think we are ready for that yet. It's too soon. We didn't even have …"

Martha raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"We …" he cleared his throat, "we're not intimate yet."

"Oh." For her son's expression, Martha could tell that this was a serious issue for him. "Why, is there a problem?"

"Well … I'm not sure. I … it's been some time since I've been with someone."

Martha waited for him to go on, but when he didn't, something told her that it had been longer than she had imagined. "Since Lana?"

Clark nodded quietly.

"It's been quite a long time," Martha reflected aloud.

He sighed. "I have never tested my abilities in that area yet. Lana and I … it happened during the time I lost my powers."

"And you never tried again after you recovered them?"

"No."

"Oh, my God, Clark. I never thought you would …" she trailed off, trying to gather her thoughts. "Maybe you're just a little out of practice, but it's not a life or death situation."

"That's the point, mom. I don't know what is going to happen. What if it _is_ a life and death situation?"

Martha tried to be positive. "Honey, you know how to control your strength. You only need to have … extra care until you are confident enough."

He looked down, blushing. "I'm not worried about that part, mom. I'm worried about the part that is beyond my control. What if I hurt her?"

This was certainly a conversation that was meant for father and son. But Jonathan was no longer with them, and she would have to help her son to resolve this. On seeing his expectant eyes fixed on her, Martha realized that not only he had lived without sex these past ten years. He had remained virtuous in every sense. This didn't surprise her, though. Clark's puberty had not been that of a regular teenager. Instead of having wet dreams, he used to torch scarecrows with his eyes.

"Sweetheart, how can I say this…" she paused to find the appropriate words, " … there are ways you can find out what will happen without actually being with a woman."

Clark's eyebrows shot up. "You mean one of those … dolls?"

"Good heavens, no," she said quickly, trying to spare her son from further embarrassment. "I mean _other_ ways…you know… self gratification is not that uncommon, Clark. I am not saying that it should be a regular practice, or even remotely similar to what one feels while being with the person one loves … but yet I think it might serve to your purpose this time. Try it once or twice, until you have gained control of your reactions. Maybe it's not as bad as you think it is and you are holding back for nothing."

Clark felt his cheeks burning. "Yeah, maybe. If I don't do something, Lois is going to ask questions and she'll probably dump me. I don't want to break up with her, mom, at least not without trying. I love her."

"How long have you been seeing each other?"

"A few weeks."

"I can't believe she waited this long. Lois is not of the patient type."

"It's getting quite hard for me, too. I almost set the apartment on fire the other night."

"I'm sure you'll find a way to resolve this." Martha said soothingly as she placed a comforting hand over his shoulder. "Are you staying home for the weekend?"

"I will, unless you are busy or something," He said tentatively.

Martha smiled inwardly. She knew her son wasn't very comfortable with the idea of her dating someone, but he would have to learn to live with the fact that she was not alone anymore. "No, I'm not. Stay, I'll cook dinner."

Now more relaxed, Clark stood, "Do you need any help? I would like to fly around for a while, just to see that everything is OK."

"Go, sweetheart, I'll manage."

"Thanks, mom, for everything." Clark kissed his mother's cheek and headed towards the door.

Once he was outside, Clark looked at the sky, pondering his mother's words. He launched himself into the air, crossed the thin layer of clouds and flew even higher, above the satellites routes. Suspended thousands of feet above the Earth, he allowed his body to float peacefully as he observed how spots of light slowly lit up over darkening continent.

Maybe his mom was right. He needed to do something about this or he would end losing Lois.

* * *

"We were drinking beer, joking about the article and the next thing I know is that I was lipsucking the life out of him."

"And what did he do? Wait," Chloe raised her hand, "don't tell me. He fainted."

"No," Lois smiled at the memory, "he kissed me back. Quite hungrily, by the way."

"Then, what's the problem?"

"He left! We spent a whole hour rolling on the carpet, kissing like there's no tomorrow and the guy says he wants to take things slow and leaves before I can say anything else!"

"Well, that's Clark Kent, you should know him better, Lo. Just give him time."

Lois refilled her mug with hot coffee and sat on the couch. "It's been weeks, Chloe, and he's still taking things slowly. How much time am I going to give him?

"Well … I …"

"Maybe there's something wrong with him. Maybe he's impotent or something."

If Lois only knew. "I don't think so."

"I told him one thousands times I was free and alone for the weekend, that I was available for anything he wanted to do, and what does Mr. Elusive do?" she paused to add drama to her words. "He vanishes! I called his apartment a hundred times but all I get is the machine."

"Did you try his cell phone?"

"No. I don't want him to think I'm stalking him."

Chloe snorted. "Clark's in Smallville."

"How do you know that?"

"Because, unlike you, I called him at the right number. He'll be at the farm during the weekend, visiting his mom."

Lois raised a suspicious eyebrow. "His mom, huh? Maybe that's the whole point."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, Chloe. Don't tell me that there's not something wrong about that. Sweet, mild mannered, he hadn't had a girlfriend for how long, ten years?" Chloe opened her mouth to object but Lois continued in a very suggestive tone, "Yeah, maybe that's it. Maybe he's …he's … hiding inside his closet."

The only thing that Clark was hiding in his closet was a blue spandex suit and a red cape. Chloe had to stop this before it went too far. "Lois, Clark's not gay."

Lois groaned in frustration. "Then how do you explain it? The other night, I really thought it was going to happen. One second he's all over me, kissing me as if his life depended on it and the next he rushes to the bathroom and stays locked in for hours."

"Hours?"

"Okay, like five minutes."

Chloe took the mug from Lois' hand before she finished her coffee. Her cousin had had enough caffeine for one night. "I think you should be patient," when Lois tried to protest, she hushed her. "This is Clark Kent we are talking about. As you said, it's been some time since he has been with someone and maybe he's just a little scared. Just give him time. I'm sure it will be worth the waiting."

Lois sighed, apparently resigned to her situation. With the beast under control, Chloe's thoughts went to Clark, trying to imagine what was going on with him. She had a clue, though. This was not different to what had happened ten years ago, when he broke up with Lana. If he remained alone for so long, it was because he was suffering the same insecurities that were haunting him then. She only hoped that he wouldn't choose her to open up to once again, because discussing Superman's sex life with the Man of Steel himself was something that Chloe Sullivan didn't want to see in her agenda.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Lois had the entire weekend to think about Clark and their new relationship. After meditating about this, she arrived at the conclusion that, no matter how awkward things were at time, it was worth the try. Clark was her best friend, the person he could tell everything, her companion in front of adversities. He was sweet and caring, noble, reliable, infallible. He was always there to lend her a hand when she needed, hold her when she cried, or make her laugh with his teasing. Not to mention that he had a smile that made her stomach flutter and a body that made her pulse quicken.

Maybe Chloe was right. Maybe he only needed time. Lois had known him long enough to know of his shyness, as endearing and irritating as it was. She also knew how much he had suffered after his breakup with Lana, and that also, for some unexplainable reason, he had shuttered himself to anything that wasn't his family and his work.

"Morning, Lois," Clark greeted his partner with a tentative smile.

"Hey, Clark," she commanded herself to be cheerfull.

He looked at her suspiciously. After his quick exit the other night and his disappearance this weekend he was expecting her to be mad at him. "Everything okay?"

"Great. How was your weekend?"

"Fine, I went to see my mom. I know that we said something about seeing each other during the weekend but …"

"Oh, don't worry, Clark." She rose and patted him on the chest, "it's not that we had a date, or anything."

His eyebrows arched up. Was he in some kind of parallel universe where Lois was considerate and forgiving? "I … I was thinking that I could take you to the movies tomorrow night."

Lois smiled broadly. "That would be great."

He frowned, "are you feeling all right?"

"Why?"

"I don't know, you seem so … understanding."

She laughed. "See? I'm not that bad. Well, not that much. But don't get used to this. I don't know how long this new _understanding_ phase is going to last."

Clark smiled at her and she felt all those butterflies twirling inside her stomach. "I'll make it up to you."

"Promise?" Lois grinned flirtatiously. "No runs to the bathroom and silly excuses?"

He looked around to check that no one was seeing them and leaned even closer to whisper a soft, "Promise."

"Kent! Lane! My office," shouted Perry.

Lois rolled her eyes. "Here we go again."

The partners were presented with a new assignment, this time related to a gang suspected to be manufacturing and distributing illegal medicines. There was a loose connection with Luthorcorp –very loose- but if they could find it and prove it, it would be something else they could hold against the corporation. Five minutes after Perry White had given them the brief Clark and Lois were completely immersed in the case.

"Great, thanks. I owe you one." Lois hung up the phone.

"Well?" Clark enquired.

"My source says that he knows of a place where they might be working. It's an abandoned warehouse outside Metropolis. I'll go check it tonight."

"I'm coming with you."

"Okay," she tried to sound exasperated, but she was always happy that he was willing to risk his neck for her. Always. "But try not to slow me down this time."

"I'll do my best."

It was nearly midnight when Lois and Clark finally located the warehouse that Lois' source had pointed out. Though the place seemed abandoned from the outside, they saw that the locks on the rusted gates were new and very high tech.

"Pretty expensive locks for an abandoned warehouse, don't you think?" Lois tried to open them. "Do you think there is someone inside?"

Clark narrowed his eyes and focused his x-ray vision to see past beyond the walls. The warehouse seemed empty, with nothing suspicions inside of it. He tried to see even further, but a something was obstructing his vision. "It appears deserted to me."

Lois grabbed him by the arm and dragged him along. "Let's see if there's another way to get in."

"Lois, I don't you think we should be getting in there … " He scanned the perimeter, searching for surveillance cameras. He found none.

She tugged his arm harder. "Come on, Smallville, it's now or never."

If there was something that Clark would never understand was how Lois always managed to find a way into a building that would inexorably represent a near death experience and walk through it unscathed. Well, most of the times, anyway, and only because he had been there to see that nothing happened to her. She jumped the fence, then climbed a pile of crates up to the roof –in high heels- all the time complaining about him slowing her down. Once on the rooftop she actually found an opened window and accessed the inside of the warehouse through, perhaps, the most dangerous spot.

On a first inspection, there was nothing suspicious inside the warehouse. Unsatisfied with the results she obtained, Lois continued with her search and headed towards the mysterious room.

"Let's see what we can find."

The room appeared locked on the first try, but Clark managed to open the door, explaining to her that it was only jammed. It looked like a storage room, full of tubes and jars that contained several types of compounds. The couple was far inside the room, looking for something that would help them in the investigation, when the content of several jars began to glow. A green, brilliant glow that intensified with Clark's proximity.

Clark immediately began to feel sick. He quickly stepped back so he could keep himself at a prudent distance from the kryptonite mix but soon he realized that he was surrounded by hundreds of recipients containing the green substance.

"Hey, Clark, take a look," Lois pointed at them without turning around. "Looks like meteor rocks, like the ones you can find in Smallville."

When he didn't respond, she turned and saw him grabbing a table for support, his face acquiring a greenish hue.

"Clark, are you all right?"

"I can't breathe," He was losing consciousness quickly, "Lois, take me out of here."

She rushed to his side, but Clark was already falling over one of the shelves, crashing over several tubes and jars containing the green syrup.

"Clark!"

Lois had to use all her strength to pull him up and lay him on the floor. She turned him around and brushed the glass from over him. He was unconscious, with several cuts on his face and a larger piece of glass stabbed on his chest. "I'm going to pull this out, hold on for me, will you?"

She pulled the piece of glass and waited for a reaction, an improvement, but nothing happened. She didn't know what to do. She patted his face, shook his body, but nothing. The wound didn't seem deep, neither the cuts on his face, but for some reason, Clark was not reacting. Maybe the cut was more severe than it looked, or maybe something inside the lab was causing this unusual weakness in him. Lois recalled he had said he couldn't breathe so she loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of the red and yellow of Superman's emblem.

The truth hit her like a slap on the face. Her new _boyfriend_, the plaid wearing farm boy from Smallville with hero complex was in fact the Man of Steel.

As far as Lois knew, Superman was invincible, nothing could hurt him, but here he was, unconscious and bleeding for apparently no reason at all. What could be causing this? He was perfectly healthy outside the room, but as soon as they got in there, the substance in the jars started to glow and he became sick. Could this be what was making him ill? Well, he was an alien, so if something could make him sick, it had to be from another planet.

Lois pressed her fingers to his carotid to check his pulse and noticed it was becoming dangerously slow. Her heart told her that if she didn't take him out and away from that place soon, he was going to get worse.

"You have some serious explaining to do Smallville. But save your breath for later." Lois stood, grabbed his arm and began to pull him out of the room. "Man, you are heavy. You're not the Man of Steel, you're the man of lead."

She managed to take him out of the room and closing the door behind them, Lois knelt by his side and wiped the traces of green mix from his face and chest with tissues, throwing them as far away from them as possible. Now with him out of danger, she realized the dimension of her discovery. As pissed as she was with him for keeping this from her –and for not noticing this sooner- she understood that this was a secret he had the right to keep. He was Superman, and his safety, his identity was above anything else, even her.

In awe, Lois observed how the small cuts and bruises slowly disappeared from his face. He moaned and Lois knew that in only a moment he would be awake so she fastened his shirt and straightened his tie with the hope that he wouldn't notice what she had just seen.

His eyes flickered open as Lois caressed his hair. "Clark, are you all right?"

He sat up with Lois' help. "What happened?"

"You tripped on something and hit your head. I pulled you out of the room."

"Did you find something important?"

Lois grabbed his arm and assisted him to stand up. It was obvious that he wasn't recovered yet. "I think that that substance was made of meteor rocks."

Clark pretended that he was surprised. "For years, Luthorcorp has been using it to enhance the effect of certain drugs. We must find out what they are up to now."

"Can you walk?"

"I'm not sure." His shirt and jacket were stained with that green substance and while it didn't have a full effect on him, the kryptonite mix was strong enough to make him weak and nauseous.

"Come," Lois, put his arm around her shoulder and assisted him out. "Let's get out of here."

They reached the car and Lois sped away.

"I guess I've blown your investigation again." Clark said in a poor attempt to be playful. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, Smallville, we are now even for all those times you came to my rescue." Lois played along, even when she was worried sick about him. He was not fully recovered yet and surely all those green stains on his shirt were preventing him from healing completely. And the only thing that was stopping him from getting rid of those clothes and fly away was her.

"Maybe we should go to the hospital." Lois knew he would say no, that the hospital was the last place she should take him, but she also knew that that would be the logical suggestion had she not been aware of his true identity.

"No, I'm fine, really. Just drop me at my apartment."

It was late in the night, there was very little traffic so they made it quite quickly to Clark's flat. While Clark told her that he was fine, that there was no reason for her to stay, Lois wouldn't hear reasons. She told him to take a shower and change into clean clothes while she made some coffee for them.

Clark grabbed a change of clothes and locked himself in the bathroom where he removed his street clothes and shoved them inside a lead covered bag he had in case he came in contact with kryptonite. As he pulled the super suit off, he noticed a tiny hole and traces of blood. He checked his torso on the mirror and while he didn't see any wound, there were rests of blood on his chest. He pulled the white shirt out of the bag to check it out. There was blood in it too, not much, but enough for someone to notice. The question was: did Lois see it?

Right now, he was too weak to think about it. He hid the super suit inside the cabinet and closed the bag with the kryptonite stained clothes. He stepped into the shower and washed the last traces of green liquid from him all the while hoping that Lois hadn't seen any of this. Surely she hadn't, because Lois wasn't the kind of person that would let go of this information if she came across it.

When he emerged from the bathroom dressed in sweats and a T-shirt, Lois was waiting for him holding a mug of hot coffee in her hands.

"Here you are." She gave it to him. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much better, thanks." Clark could see concern in her features.

She pulled up a brave smile, but it fell quickly. "For a moment I thought you were … never mind."

"But I'm fine now. Nothing really happened, Lois. Don't worry. "

"Yeah, you only tripped, hit your head and remained unconscious for a few minutes, nothing serious. Had that happened to me, you would have taken me to the hospital and demand a tomography."

"I guess my head is harder than yours." He smiled, then frowned. "Wait, isn't this the moment when you make fun of me for being so clumsy and slowing down your investigation?" he teased her.

"I guess it is, but somehow, I can't. I don't know why, really." She fidgeted. "You really deserve to be scolded for ruining my meteor rock infected warehouse rally."

He noticed the tears that were clouding her eyes. "Lois, what's wrong?"

Though she was fighting her words back, they came out anyway. "You scared me. I guess I have never seen you so … helpless."

"Hey." Clark wrapped his arms around her. "I'm all right."

Lois cursed herself for being emotional. It was so unlike her. She really needed to get a grip on herself or Clark would suspect that she knew the truth about him. Just because she had just discovered that the man she had fallen in love with was in fact the superhero she had been crazy about for years –and whose life had been in danger only an hour ago- wasn't a reason to revert to a sniffling girl.

Moved by this sudden and totally unusual expression of tenderness and vulnerability, Clark hugged her tightly and rubbed her back to give her comfort. He even leaned down to kiss her lips but Lois pulled away before he could touch them.

"I think I should go," she stepped back, "you're tired, and all beaten up, and so am I so … good night."

She left before Clark could say anything.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Lois was in shock. So shocked she was by her discovery that she practically couldn't sleep that night. She drove the way back to her apartment in autopilot and so stunned she was that she didn't recall changing into her pajamas and going to bed at all.

So Clark was Superman. Well, it made sense now that she thought about it. There had been so many unusual circumstances around him that she couldn't believe she hadn't figured it out sooner. Really, she had met the guy in the middle of a corn field after he had been struck by lightning and she never suspected that he might be '_out if this world'_? Not to mention the rest of the things he could do, like the other day at the newsroom, when he somehow grabbed a falling book case that was more than twenty feet away from him before it hit the ground. Or all those times he had arrived at a crime scene before anyone else, or his ability to open impossible locks, or when he vanished in the middle of an extremely dangerous situation just before Superman made a miraculous arrival.

If Lois had to give him credit for something, that was for being able to hide this from her all these years without giving away signs of his other identity, always coming up with fairly good excuses to justify his absence. Hey, there had been times in which she hadn't even noticed he was missing at all. Surely keeping this façade had not been easy for him. Poor thing. All those nights he had been up and around, saving people all around the world and then flying back to the Planet to be berated by Perry (and herself) for being late to a staff meeting. But he had done it, all these years without complaints or showing fatigue. He had been the savior of the world, her partner and best friend, always giving, never asking or expecting anything in return.

Still, one question remained: why was she so freaked out about this? For God's sake, she loved Clark and she thought Superman was the hottest man on Earth, so what could be better than them being the same person? What was she afraid of? Why was she so terrified of being near him now that she knew who he really was? Was she afraid of the responsibility of knowing his identity? Or was she just scared of being in a relationship that would never be 'normal'?

Lois had been in many, many problematic relationships. After she broke up with Oliver, she had hooked up with all kind of yuppies with world dominating aspirations. Some of them with good intentions, most of them without. What she loved about Clark was his balance, his humility, his 'normality'. She had always seen Clark as the guy with whom she could eat pancakes in the morning or someone she could call at two in the morning to chat about a bad day at work. He was sweet, loyal and noble (not to mention hot as hell), the kind of guy with whom a girl can marry and have a bunch of kids without having to worry about the mortgage. A regular guy. But now that she knew that there was nothing normal about him, that the mild mannered reporter who had been her best friend for ages was in fact an alien that had become the protector of the Earth. Would she be able to deal with the other aspect of his life?

Lois's eyes were fixed on the flat screen that hung from the newsroom's ceiling, watching intently at the News Channel daily report. There was a bank robbery in Singapore. Twenty hostages were being held captive by a super professional group of thieves that were threatening to kill everyone if the exits weren't cleared for them. But what these guys weren't expecting was the Man of Steel to show up right when they were trying to escape. Superman crossed the scene in a blur of red and blue and disarmed the blackguards in only a fraction of a second. If that weren't enough, there were also explosives, which he didn't have time to deactivate, but which he covered with his body to prevent the expansive wave from destroying the building. All captured by the cameras of different news networks.

The most incredible thing about it all was that it had happened only an hour after she had left Clark's apartment, what meant that he barely had time to rest after the meteor rock exposure and, depending if he performed another rescue on the way back, he only had time for a quick shower and a cup of coffee before coming to work.

"Morning Lois," Clark brushed by her desk. "Sorry, I overslept."

His hair was still wet, which meant he probably flew from his apartment to the Planet and landed in some empty alley, jogged to the newsroom and then waited for a place in the crowded elevator. Or maybe he just entered through the rooftop where there were fewer chances that someone would see him. How did he manage the stress? She needed at least an hour to get ready every morning and a huge mug of black coffee before she became functional, not that she was high maintenance, when he probably did all this in a millisecond.

"I'm going for a cup of coffee, do you want one?" He voiced, startling her out of her reverie.

"What? Sure, thanks."

Clark came back with two coffees from the vending machine situated on the other end of their floor and gave one to Lois. She absentmindedly stirred hers, thinking of all the unfair advantages he had, like drinking the tarry beverage without getting an ulcer like the rest of them.

"Lois," once again Clark snapped out of her limbo nearly half an hour later. "We have a deadline, remember?"

She realized that she hadn't type one single word since he arrived. "Yeah. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You should get more sleep at night. All these midnight excursions aren't doing you any good," he teased. After all, she left his apartment way passed two in the morning.

"At least I got more than you," she mumbled.

"What?" He frowned.

"Nothing."

Lois fired a few more shots in his direction that morning. Though puzzled, Clark assumed her sudden grumpiness to be the consequence of their late night expedition. Lois never was in her best mood when was hungry or tired.

"Wanna grab something to eat before heading home?" Clark showed up at her desk as she was getting ready to leave.

She studied him for a moment, doubting. "Okay."

They reached the sidewalk and Clark pointed the cafeteria where they usually had lunch. Lois wasn't her usual conversational self, she was distracted and barely said more than ten words in a row so Clark, though puzzled by her sudden detachment, didn't ask any questions. But the comment she darted when they left the diner and he offered her to walk her home, made him realize that there was something wrong with her.

"Don't you have more important things to do?" She snapped back. "Like, I don't know, helping someone?"

"No." he replied, looking confused.

Only then she realized what she had said and how she had said it. "I'm sorry, Clark, I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I'm really tired. I just wanna go home and get some sleep."

"Sure, I was just offering to walk you home, but if you don't …"

"No, it's okay, come."

If Clark was having expectations about walking the few blocks to her apartment holding hands with her or with his arm around her shoulders, Lois' attitude warned him not to venture in such dangerous idea.

"Here we are," Clark brushed a strand of hair from Lois' cheek. His fingers lingered down her cheek only for a second, hoping that at least he would be able to extract a goodbye kiss from her.

"Yeah, here we are." She smiled uncomfortably, sensing his intentions and discouraging him by taking a step back.

"Okay." He shoved his hands on his pockets.

"Okay." She turned around and headed towards the door.

"Lois?" Clark called from where he was standing.

"Yeah?"

"Is everything all right?"

At that moment, she was a goner. If there was something that Lois was not able to resist, were those baby blue eyes staring helplessly at her. She walked back to him and planted a hard kiss on his lips.

"Nothing to worry about, Smallville," she replied. "It's just me hysterical about something."

"Can I be of help?"

"No," she brushed a peck of dust from his shoulder. "I'll figure it out by myself."

He flashed her one of his dazzling Clark Kent smiles. "See you tomorrow, then."

* * *

Clark never imagined that at his nearly thirty years of age he would revert to his high school behavior. Of course, the last time he had dated someone was when he was in high school so it was logical that he would suffer the same jitters and uncertainty he had felt when he was dating his first and only girlfriend. Sex was still an issue for him and while Lois had stopped complaining about the lack of it, he wasn't sure when he would overcome his fears and be able to take the relationship to the next level. He was doing his homework –not as often as he should, but more frequently that he felt comfortable with-, and though he had gained control of some aspects of the 'process', there were a few little details he wanted to be sure about before risking something that might hurt Lois.

So they were back into comfortable dating. Dinner, movies, lots of talking, a little making out, but that was it. He wasn't pushing it, neither was she. Until that night.

"You are late, Smallville," Lois growled when she opened the door. "I'm not responsible for the pie's taste."

"You cooked?" Clark made a panicked face. "I thought we were going to order Chinese."

She darted him a menacing glance. "And you are going to ask for seconds."

He followed her to the kitchen. "Sorry, I'm late. I had to finish an article. It took me longer than I thought."

"Yeah, sure," Lois replied with a hint of sarcasm in her tone. She had called the newsroom to see if he was still there, and when nobody answered the call, she checked the news to see if he was busy somewhere else. He was, obviously, in Detroit, putting out a fire. It always gave her goose bumps to see him crossing the skies and perform one of his impossible rescues. But, while she understood his need to keep his secret, at this point of their relationship, she would have preferred he would have felt comfortable enough to share the truth with her. Everything would be so much easier, for both.

"I brought some wine."

"Great. Why don't you pour us two glasses?" Lois said. Maybe, with a little alcohol in her system, she would be able to do what she had been tempted do these past weeks.

Though he was not much of a drinker, Clark knew that it was more dangerous to refuse Lois cooking than to eat it so he helped himself with a full glass of wine before attempting a bite at Lois' carbonized chicken pie. Maybe a little wine would make the task of digesting the meal easier for his stomach of steel.

After the dinner, they relaxed on the couch while drinking the coffee that Clark fixed for them. That was when Lois fired the so dreaded question.

"Are you staying tonight?" She asked while smiling seductively into his eyes.

"I … well, do you want me to stay?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I didn't."

"A-are you sure?"

Subtlety was not one of Lois major assets so, just to make her point clear – in case he didn't get it-, she sat astride him and pressed her mouth against his.

"Do I look as if I'm not sure?" she breathed. "The question is, are you?"

Clark's reply came in the shape of a hungry kiss. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her tightly against him, making her moan against his mouth. He knew he should slow down, he felt that he was not ready for this yet, but hell, he wanted to make love to her. But when Lois began to unbutton his shirt, he was reminded of all the reasons why he shouldn't and that her safety –and his sanity- depended on his ability to put an end to what was going on.

"What?" Lois groaned with irritation when he took her hands away from his chest and began with his usual stammering. "What's wrong now?

"N-nothing, I don't think we should rush …"

Lois climbed off his lap and began to pace the room, looking furious. "You know, Clark, I am really trying here. I understand your hesitation, well, I don't, but I am trying my best to go on with this relationship without exploding. If we want this to work, I need your cooperation."

He swallowed.

She stopped the pacing and faced him directly. "Okay, I was going to wait until you were ready to tell me, but I don't think I can do this any longer,"

"Do what?"

"Pretend. I can't pretend I don't know."

"Know what?"

"You know perfectly well."

"Lois, I …"

"Are you wearing the suit now? Is that why you don't want me to open your shirt?"

He glanced down at his clothes, then at the chair where he had neatly hung his jacket. "My jacket's over there …"

Lois rolled her eyes with fastidiousness. "Not that one!" The other one!"

Clark stood, looking very confused. "Which one?"

"This one!" She strode towards him and pulled his shirt open, sending the buttons flying across the room, coming face to face with his… bare chest.

"Lois, what are you doing?"

"Of course you wouldn't wear it here," she huffed, frustrated. "Not during a date."

"Will you please tell me what you're talking about?" he was looking at her as if she had lost her mind.

"I know you are Superman."

The long, intense silence that filled the room only confirmed what she had just thrown at his face like an accusation. Clark stood looking at her, his expression hard and reflective, doubting the wisdom of admitting who he really was but knowing there was no point in denying it. He didn't want to deny it. He took the glasses off and stood tall and imposing, and in Lois eyes he became Superman, but in street clothes.

Though concerned about the future of their relationship, in one way, Clark was relieved that the façade had fallen. Whatever they decided from now on, it would not be based on lies. "I'm sorry, Lois, I never wanted to …"

"No, don't apologize," she interrupted, "I'm not mad at you. Really, I respect your decision of not telling anyone. This is huge. I mean, of all secrets, this is one that certainly should be kept, but I already know, and I can't go on pretending I don't. So now you know I know."

They were standing several steps away, looking at each other like two strangers. "I wanted to tell you, I just wasn't sure we were ready for this."

"Why? You don't trust me?" Lois looked hurt by his words.

"It's not a matter of trust, Lois. I never thought you would betray me, but knowing my identity is a huge responsibility, one that I wasn't sure you wanted, one that I didn't want to impose on you. Not yet."

Lois nodded in comprehension. "I understand. People would kill to learn who you really are. If someone suspects I know …"

"I love you, Lois." He said feelingly. "The last thing I want is for you to get hurt because of me."

"Is this why you don't want to have sex with me?"

He sighed. "It might be dangerous."

She bit her lower lip. This was something they would have to figure out. Lois Lane would never quit because of a simple technicality.

"When did you find out?"

"That night at the warehouse, when you fainted. You said you couldn't breathe, so I opened your shirt and I saw the suit."

Clark smiled. She had known his secret for three weeks and she never said a word about it. Knowing her confrontational and inquisitive nature, keeping this inside of her must have been very hard for her.

"I was afraid you might have seen it. But then you didn't say anything, so I thought that, for once, you respected other people's privacy."

Lois returned his smile. "It was not my intention to peek, really, but you weren't waking up and I didn't know what to do."

"Fortunately, you were there to help me." He made one step towards her.

"Yeah, I was." She didn't step back.

Clark stopped right in front of her. "There is nothing 'earthy' about me, Lois. I know you want normality, but that's the only thing I can't give you."

"Well," Lois brushed a wrinkle from his shirt, which was ridiculous because she had just ripped it open. "I suppose that if I had wanted normality I would never have dated someone from Smallville in the first place. No one coming from that town can be normal."

"So," he said hesitantly, "you don't mind if your boyfriend is an alien with double identity and two jobs?"

Lois rose to her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I wouldn't change that for anything in this world, or neighboring ones, farm boy."

He would have commented on that, but his mouth was too busy kissing hers.

* * *

Clark smiled in absolute happiness, still incredulous that things had worked out so well. It was too good to be true, really. Lois was lying in bed next to him, with her arm resting across his stomach, her leg carelessly entangled with his. She had dozed off for a couple of hours, but now she was awake, he could tell for her breathing and heart rhythm, still, she wasn't moving, probably because the same reason he wasn't. Surely she feared that even the slightest move would ruin the perfection of the moment or worse, that it would erase the last few hours of absolute heaven they had just lived.

"You're so warm, Smallville," she moved even closer.

"I hope in a good way."

"In the winter, yes," Lois sighed, "but I'll have to turn the air conditioner on in the summer."

He kissed the top of her head. "I'll share the electric bill with you, don't worry."

Lois' fingers travelled the length of his chest, testing if she could produce any reaction on his skin, but there was none. No goose bumps, no shuddering or tingles. She wondered what his impenetrable skin was sensitive to. Certainly he wasn't ticklish, she had tried that earlier. But she knew he felt everything, she had heard him groan with pleasure with her caresses a couple of hours earlier and become aroused with her kisses, but his body wouldn't let it show, unless he consciously allowed it. It was amazing and yet scary. To have so much power, such strength, but also to be forced to calculate every move, incapable of doing anything remotely spontaneous or acting on his own passion, always afraid of hurting the woman he wanted to make love to. Because he was scared of hurting her, she knew that, and yet, he was the most gentle of lovers.

"I don't know why you were so afraid of this. We managed to do it without major catastrophes. Well … almost." she glanced at the nightstand, broken in halves right next to the bed by Clark's powerful fist. Never go down on a superhero when he's half asleep. When startled, he can react quite violently.

"I'm sorry, I'll buy you a new one."

"I have the feeling that it's not the first one you've broken."

"I have a few more of these in my destruction record. It usually happens when I turn off the alarm clock." Clark smiled. If everything worked out so well –broken nightstand aside- it was because she had dealt with it marvelously. She encouraged him when he doubted and reassured him that her moans and cries weren't caused by pain, but by pleasure.

Still intrigued by the oddities of his skin, Lois pinched him on the ribs. She barely succeeded in twisting his skin, and it left no mark. She tried harder.

"What are you doing?" Clark chuckled.

"Can you feel that?"

"Of course I can."

"But it doesn't hurt."

"No, but I feel it."

"It must be amazing to be invulnerable, to know that nothing can hurt you."

"I can feel pain, too, Lois. The fact that I am invulnerable doesn't mean I don't feel pain when something hits me."

"Like bullets and missiles and all that stuff?"

"There are things that hurt me even more than anything they can throw at me."

"What?"

"It hurts to see the woman I love dating a guy that I know will break her heart. In fact, it hurts to see her with anyone else other than me."

She smiled sweetly at him. His flesh might be indestructible, but his heart was as vulnerable as anyone else's. "That will never happen again, I promise you."

Supported on her elbow, Lois continued her silent contemplation of him. She was absolutely fascinated with this whole new side of him, intrigued by the contrasts and variations of both aspects of his personality. She felt she had so much to learn his invulnerable, alien side, but she also felt this comfort, this complete sense of familiarity around the farm boy that had been her best friend for years.

"If I pull your hair, can I get one out?"

"I doubt it."

Her fingertips moved along his jaw line, making him smile with delight. "Do you shave? I don't think a regular razor would be able to cut your beard."

"No, it doesn't. I made one with kryptonian metal. Anyway, I have a very slow beard growth so I shave only once or twice a month." He loved that she wanted to know all these trivialities about him.

"I remember that time in Smallville, when you told me that you felt like an outsider. Now I understand what you meant. You must have felt so … alienated, growing up feeling being so different, always hiding, always pretending."

"Yeah, but I had the best parents in the world. And very good friends, too, though some of them would get a little annoying at times." He smiled at her.

"I can't believe I lived in your house for weeks and never noticed the things you could do."

"Thank God you never paid much attention to me. You almost caught me red handed a few times, though."

"Yeah, yeah, Superman was right beside me but I was too busy looking the other way. The story of my life."

"We were just kids, Lois. Let's say that we were interested in other things at the time. Look all you've accomplished, what you've become. Ten years ago you were deciding your future based on what a vocational test in a magazine said and now you're Lois Lane, the ace reporter of the Daily Planet."

Lois smiled proudly. "Me? Look at you, Clark. You are Superman. You became a symbol of peace and justice, someone to look up to."

"Not bad for a farm boy from Kansas you thought was a geek, huh?" he teased.

"Don't get too cocky, Smallville," Lois laughed. "Remember, I still have information about you that might be quite embarrassing if it's known."

Clark smiled and brought her face to his for a long, sensuous kiss that didn't break, not even when he moved her body to lie over his. Lovemaking three was about to begin.

"Do you know something?" Lois murmured against the hollow of his chin.

"What?" Clark sighed with pleasure as their bodies found the appropriate rhythm.

"Remember my first article about you?"

"The one titled '_I spent the night with Superman_'?" Clark always thought was very suggestive headline that had always inspired some very wild fantasies about him and Lois.

"When I wrote it … I never thought I would actually sleep with him."

"Neither did I, Miss Lane."


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue

"I guess by the look in your face that that … little problem you and Clark had is already solved." Chloe eyed her cousin suggestively.

"We sorted some things out," Lois answered nonchalantly.

"I bet you did. It's been years since I've seen Clark looking so relaxed." More than the sex issue, the younger cousin was interested in knowing if a certain secret had been revealed or not. Being one of the few members of the super exclusive club was becoming a burden for her.

Lois only smiled.

Chloe pushed it a little more, but always being very discreet, knowing that Clark, who was in the living room with his mother, could hear every word she said.

"It's good to know he's finally with someone, he's been alone for so long."

Lois shrugged. "You know how Clark is. He doesn't allow many people around him. He's very precautious."

"Precautious."

"Yeah, he's very guarded about himself, if you understand what I mean."

"I think I do." Chloe nodded, not sure of what that meant. "Does that bother you?"

"No, why should it bother me?"

"You know, Lana was always pushing him, demanding him to tell her everything about himself."

Lois laughed. "About Smallville? Oh, come on, Chlo, we've known each other since we were teenagers. What could he be possibly hiding that I don't know already?"

Chloe laughed along. Either Lois was doing this on purpose or Clark didn't inform her about his other identity yet. "Well, a few weeks ago you thought he was gay."

From there they heard Clark coughing and Martha's worried 'Clark, are you all right?'

"That's in the past, a stupid misconception." Lois said quickly.

"I'm glad you talked about it."

The smile on Lois' face broadened. "We didn't exactly talk about it. In fact, we didn't do much talking lately."

"Oh." Chloe's eyebrows arched up.

"It is more a catching up thing," Lois shrugged. "For the lost time, you know."

"I think I understand," the younger cousin said dubiously, not sure she wanted to continue with this conversation.

But Lois insisted. "As you said, it was worth the waiting."

"Really?" The look on Chloe's face was priceless.

Lois grabbed the salad bowl and spoke as they walked to the living room. "And the fact that we can do it floating three feet above the bed only makes it even more interesting."

* * *

"Clark," Martha asked her son, "Would you open the wine for me?"

"Sure, mom." He was accomplishing the task while his mother did the final touches on the table. After a moment, he added. "You don't mind that Lois and I are sharing the bedroom, do you?"

"It surprised me when you said you were, but you are a grown up man, Clark. And the fact that you are tells me that everything is all right between the two of you."

Clark smiled. "It is."

"I'm glad you told her the truth about you. It wouldn't have worked otherwise."

"Actually, I didn't tell her, mom. She found out on her own."

"How?" Martha's eyebrows arched up.

"To make a long story short, during an investigation, she dragged me into a warehouse full of kryptonite. I fainted and she saw the suit while trying to wake me up." Clark poured himself a glass of water.

"And what on earth were you doing in a laboratory full of kryptonite?"

"She was chasing a lead and I accompanied her. You know her, mom. If there is a sign that says 'dangerous, keep out', Lois will get in. I had to protect her."

"Well, now that she knows everything about you, she'll learn to be more careful, how to protect you, for a change."

Clark was sipping from his glass when something he heard on the kitchen made him choke.

"Clark," Martha patted his back as he coughed, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

"I don't remember seeing you coughing before. Are you sure there's nothing wrong with you?"

"Yes, mom, don't worry, I just choked on my drink." He checked that nothing had flown away.

His mother looked dubious. "Why don't you tell the girls to hurry up? Maybe they need help in the kitchen."

Alert to what Lois was saying, Clark blushed. "I don't think I want to go in there right now."

"Why, are they talking about you?"

"The worst part is that they both know I can hear them."

Martha laughed. At that moment, Lois and Chloe appeared at the living room with the salad.

A while later, they were having dinner together. The evening was calm and relaxed and they all chatted animatedly about the events of the past weeks. Chloe left soon after coffee and Lois and Clark accompanied her to the car.

"So gay, huh?" Clark shoved his hands in the pocket of his jeans as he watched Chloe's car drive away.

Lois smiled wickedly and she patted his chest. "But you proved me wrong, didn't you?"

Clark shook his head. "Yeah, but still …"

"Don't make such a big deal of it, Smallville. I never really thought you were. I was just venting my sexual frustration against you, which by the way, you were responsible for."

He wrapped his arms around her under the starry night. "And all this catching up thing has already fixed that."

"A girl can't have any privacy with you. Didn't your mom teach you that it is wrong to eavesdrop?" She smirked.

"Didn't your dad teach you that it is wrong to ventilate your intimacy?"

"Didn't you ever watch Sex and the City?" Lois arched an impertinent eyebrow. "Women talk about this stuff all the time, Smallville. Get used to it."

"There is no way to win an argument with you." He grinned.

"No," she moved her face closer to his. "So stop arguing."

Their lips met and there was nothing chaste or argumentative about the kiss. Just the promise of more catching up for the lost time.

"Three feet above the bed," Clark said reflectively as they parted. "I don't remember trying that one before."

"We don't want Chloe to take me for a liar, do we?" She smiled provocatively.

"Hell, no." Clark took her hand and led the way to the house.


End file.
